Child care now available for essential workers

EDMONTON (660 NEWS) — Essential service workers in Alberta will no longer have to worry about child care.

That announcement coming from Premier Jason Kenney on Wednesday during the daily COVID-19 update.

Along with front-line health-care workers, critical infrastructure workers and first responders, child care will now be available for workers considered essential by the government.

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“Access to child care should not be a barrier for those who are doing the work required to maintain essential services for all Albertans,” Minister of Children’s Services Rebecca Schulz said. “We are grateful to the workers for continuing to get the job done and we thank those child care operators for stepping up to provide this important service.”

Those who are eligible will be able to contact child care centres that are open in their community. An updated list of those centres can be found on the government’s website. 

Centres will continue to be opened if they are deemed to be a necessity for the area. As of right now, there are four more communities that are being looked at to have child care centres reopened.

The centres will be limited to 30 people, including staff, and will have to adhere to strict sanitization practices based on specific instructions from Dr. Deena Hinshaw.

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Officials say the centres will charge their regular rates, within reason.

Parents who are eligible should only apply if it’s the only way they can go to work.

The government says child care centres will be financially compensated for reopened spaces that are not filled and will also receive up to $500 for the purchase of cleaning supplies.

All other licensed child care centres are to remain closed. Approved family day homes may remain open but limited to six children, not including the operators’ own children.